Duquesne Light Company Rate Selection Guide
Duquesne Light Company (DLC) serves about 614,000 electric customers in the Pittsburgh region of southwestern Pennsylvania. As a wires-only distribution utility in deregulated Pennsylvania, DLC delivers power while customers may shop for supply; data access is available via the EGS Usage Portal, EDI 814 HI, and Nectar's API (docs.nectarclimate.com).
Duquesne Light Company Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Small (GS) | Commercial | PTC 10.88 cents/kWh (06/01/2026) + distribution | Small non-demand businesses |
| General Service Medium (GM) | Commercial | PTC 11.57 (<25 kW) / 11.71 (25-200 kW) cents/kWh + demand | Medium demand-metered businesses |
| General Service Large (GL/GLH) | Commercial | Demand-driven distribution; hourly/EGS supply (see tariff) | Large commercial >=300 kW |
| High Voltage Power Service (HVPS) | Industrial | Contract-demand charges; transmission-level service (see tariff) | Very large loads at 69 kV+ |
Market Overview
Under PA Electric Choice, DLC provides regulated distribution while generation supply is competitive. Non-shopping C&I customers get default supply via Rider No. 8 (priced through RFP) or Rider No. 9 hourly service for larger loads; transmission is billed via Appendix A. Customers can switch to an EGS at any time and compare via the Price to Compare.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Duquesne Light Company Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Pennsylvania's official shopping site to compare licensed Electric Generation Suppliers against DLC's Price to Compare.
Current Rate Schedules
Duquesne Light bills regulated distribution charges (customer, energy, and demand components depending on rate schedule) to all customers, while generation supply is competitive. Non-shopping customers pay the Default Service Supply (DSS, Rider No. 8) Price to Compare, which adjusts up to four times a year. Verified class-average Price to Compare values effective 06/01/2026 include: General Service Small (GS) 10.88 cents/kWh; General Service Medium <25 kW (GM) 11.57 cents/kWh; GM 25-200 kW 11.71 cents/kWh; General Service Medium Heating <25 kW (GMH) 11.13 cents/kWh. Large demand-metered classes (GL >=300 kW, GLH, Large Power L >=5,000 kW, and High Voltage Power Service HVPS >=5,000 kW at 69 kV+) take Rider No. 9 hourly-priced or EGS supply and show no fixed class-average Price to Compare. Distribution-charge $/kW and cents/kWh figures are set in the DLC Retail Tariff (PA PUC No. 25); consult it for exact current charges. DLC's base distribution rates rose effective December 20, 2024 (first increase since 2022).
Effective: June 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Small (GS) | commercial | Small, non-demand-metered general service where a residential rate is not available. | Distribution customer + energy charge; default supply Price to Compare 10.88 cents/kWh (eff 06/01/2026). Customers may shop for an EGS. | — |
| General Service Medium (GM) | commercial | Medium, demand-metered general service (sub-tiers <25 kW, 25-200 kW, >=200 kW). | Distribution customer + energy + demand charge. Default supply Price to Compare 11.57 cents/kWh (<25 kW) and 11.71 cents/kWh (25-200 kW), eff 06/01/2026; >=200 kW uses hourly/EGS supply. Distribution $/kW in PA PUC No. 25 tariff. | — |
| General Service Medium Heating (GMH) | commercial | Medium demand-metered customers where DLC service is the sole space-heating method (>=25% of heating-season energy). | Distribution customer + energy + demand charge with heating provisions. Default supply Price to Compare 11.13 cents/kWh (<25 kW) eff 06/01/2026. Exact distribution charges in PA PUC No. 25 tariff. | — |
| General Service Large (GL / GLH) | commercial | Large general service where demand is not less than 300 kW (GLH adds sole-electric-heating provisions). | Distribution customer + energy + significant billing-demand charge ($/kW). Supply via Rider No. 9 hourly service or an EGS; no fixed class-average Price to Compare. Distribution $/kW set in PA PUC No. 25 tariff. | — |
| Large Power Service (L) | industrial | Customers with demand not less than 5,000 kW. | Demand-dominated distribution tariff with customer, energy, and large billing-demand ($/kW) charges. Hourly (Rider 9) or EGS supply. Exact charges in PA PUC No. 25 tariff. | — |
| High Voltage Power Service (HVPS) | industrial | Customers with contract on-peak demand >=5,000 kW served at 69,000 volts or higher. | High-voltage demand tariff with contract-demand charges; reduced distribution charges reflecting transmission-level service. Hourly (Rider 9) or EGS supply. Exact charges in PA PUC No. 25 tariff. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial business
Small non-demand sites take General Service Small (GS). Benchmark the 10.88 cents/kWh default Price to Compare against EGS offers.
Supply is the main controllable cost for small accounts; shopping can beat the default Price to Compare.
- Compare EGS offers on PA Power Switch
- Avoid variable teaser rates that reset
- Re-check the Price to Compare each adjustment
Medium demand-metered business
Medium sites take General Service Medium (GM). Default supply is 11.57 cents/kWh (<25 kW) or 11.71 cents/kWh (25-200 kW); manage demand to cut distribution cost.
Both supply shopping and demand management matter once accounts are demand-metered.
- Pull interval data via the EGS Usage Portal
- Flatten coincident peaks to lower $/kW demand charges
- Consider the Business TOU supply rate if usage can shift
Large commercial (>=300 kW)
Large sites take GL/GLH with demand-driven distribution; supply via Rider No. 9 hourly service or an EGS contract.
Demand charges dominate; load shape determines whether hourly or fixed supply is cheaper.
- Use 15-minute data (EGS Portal / EDI 814 HI) for peak management
- Model Rider 9 hourly vs fixed EGS supply
- Verify GLH heating eligibility if applicable
Large industrial / high-voltage
Very large loads take Large Power Service (L) or High Voltage Power Service (HVPS) at 69 kV+, with contract-demand charges.
Transmission-level service lowers distribution charges but contract-demand commitments and supply strategy dominate cost.
- Use EDI 814 HI for automated interval data
- Negotiate supply via EGS or evaluate hourly Rider 9
- Manage contract demand to avoid penalties
Historical Rate Trends
DLC distribution rates are set through PA PUC base-rate cases, while default supply (Price to Compare) adjusts up to four times a year via RFP. The December 2024 distribution increase was DLC's first since 2022.
December 20, 2024
PA PUC-approved base distribution rate increase took effect (DLC's first since 2022): net customer increase of about $53M; average residential bill at 600 kWh rose from $130.67 to $135.88 (+3.99%).
+3.99% (residential, typical)June 1, 2025
Default Service Supply Price to Compare update: small-commercial supply rose about 10% to roughly 8.45 cents/kWh for the June-November 2025 period.
+10% (small commercial supply)Overall trend: Upward. Distribution rates rose in late 2024 after holding since 2022, and default supply Price to Compare has fluctuated with wholesale markets (small-commercial supply rose about 10% effective June 1, 2025).
Next expected change: Default Service Supply Price to Compare adjusts up to four times per year (next scheduled DSS update per Rider No. 8).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Pennsylvania supply is competitive and DLC distribution is demand-driven for larger classes, the two biggest levers are shopping the supply portion against the Price to Compare and managing peak demand with interval data.
Shop the supply (EGS) vs Price to Compare
For: All C&I
Compare competitive EGS offers on PA Power Switch against DLC's default Price to Compare; fixed-price contracts can hedge volatile default supply.
Peak demand management
For: GL, GLH, L, HVPS
Use 15-minute interval data (EGS Usage Portal / EDI 814 HI) to flatten peaks and reduce billing-demand ($/kW) charges on GL, GLH, L, and HVPS.
Hourly vs fixed supply evaluation
For: GM >=200 kW, GL, GLH, L, HVPS
Larger loads can weigh Rider No. 9 day-ahead hourly supply against fixed EGS contracts based on load shape and price-risk tolerance.
Business Time-of-Use supply
For: Eligible small-medium C&I
Eligible small-to-medium C&I can use DLC's TOU supply rate to shift usage to off-peak periods (overnight, weekends).
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Duquesne Light Company interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Pennsylvania is a retail-choice state. Duquesne Light delivers electricity and bills distribution; customers can buy generation supply from any licensed Electric Generation Supplier (EGS) or stay on DLC default supply (Rider No. 8). The Price to Compare shows the default supply rate to benchmark EGS offers against.
How to Compare Duquesne Light Company Suppliers
- 01Find your rate-class Price to Compare on DLC's Business Rates page
- 02Compare licensed EGS offers at PA Power Switch (papowerswitch.com)
- 03Evaluate price, term length, and any cancellation fees
- 04Enroll with the chosen EGS; DLC continues to deliver and bill distribution
- 05Switch or return to default service at any time
Contract Terms for Duquesne Light Company Supply Agreements
- Fixed vs variable supply pricing
- Contract term length (month-to-month to multi-year)
- Early-termination/cancellation fees
- Whether transmission is bundled into the EGS supply price
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Duquesne Light Company Rates
- Variable-rate offers can spike with wholesale markets
- Watch for introductory teaser rates that reset higher
- Confirm whether the EGS price includes transmission
- Default Price to Compare changes up to 4x/year, shifting the comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can C&I customers shop for their electricity supplier?▾
Yes. Pennsylvania is a deregulated retail-choice state. Duquesne Light delivers power and bills distribution, while customers can buy generation from any licensed Electric Generation Supplier (EGS) via PA Power Switch, or remain on DLC default supply (Rider No. 8) at the published Price to Compare.
How do third parties get 15-minute interval data?▾
Through the EGS Usage Portal (CSV download for authorized accounts on rates GL/GLH/HVPS), EDI 814 HI for trading partners, an email request with a signed LOA (delivered as a .prn file), or via Nectar, which provides API access to this utility's billing and interval data — see docs.nectarclimate.com. The first interval data request per account each calendar year is free; additional requests are $60 per account.
Does Duquesne Light support Green Button?▾
No. DLC has not implemented Green Button Download My Data or Connect My Data, and does not offer an ESPI API. Programmatic access uses ANSI X12 EDI (814 HI / 867) or Nectar's API (docs.nectarclimate.com). First-party usage is viewed in the My Electric Use portal.
What is the Price to Compare?▾
It is DLC's default supply rate (cents/kWh) used to benchmark competitive EGS offers. Verified class-average values effective 06/01/2026 include GS 10.88, GM <25 kW 11.57, GM 25-200 kW 11.71, and GMH <25 kW 11.13 cents/kWh. It adjusts up to four times a year, so re-check before signing supply contracts.
What rate schedules apply to large C&I customers?▾
Large customers take General Service Large (GL/GLH, >=300 kW), Large Power Service (L, >=5,000 kW), or High Voltage Power Service (HVPS, >=5,000 kW at 69 kV+). These are demand-driven; supply comes via Rider No. 9 hourly service or a competitive EGS. Exact distribution charges are in the PA PUC No. 25 retail tariff.
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